Gribblenation

East of Peach Springs along Old US 66 in Yavapai County is the Grand Canyon Caverns. Grand Canyon Caverns is a rare series of dry limestone caves approximately 200 below the surface of Old US 66.  Originally the Grand Canyon Caverns were called "Dinosaur Caverns" but the name changed once it was discovered that the roughly 60-mile network of caverns extended to the Grand Canyon.  Grand Canyon Caverns was known to the local Hualapai Tribe located in Peach Springs but they were discovered in 1927 by gold prospector Walter Peck (yes, the same name as the EPA agent in Ghostbusters).  Grand Canyon Caverns quickly became a tourist attraction with tours entering the natural entrance until a new entrance was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935.  The modern elevator shaft to the main cavern was installed in 1962 which was also the year that Grand Canyon Caverns was designated a fallout shelter. The grounds around Grand Canyon Caverns have many displays of ...

After entering southeast New Mexico I passed through the cities of Hobbs and Carlsbad on US 180/62 westbound on New Mexico State Route 7 to Whites City where I reached the Guadalupe Range.  My next stop was at the end of NM 7 at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Carlsbad Caverns actually has an onsite kennel to drop animals off at.  After dropping my dog off I made my way through the visitor center to the natural entrance of the caverns. Carlsbad Caverns is a series of limestone caverns underneath the Guadalupe Range.  The primary attraction is the Carlsbad Cavern which one of 119 caverns located at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  Carlsbad Cavern contains the fifth largest cave chamber in the United States which is known as the "Big Room."  Carlsbad Cavern the surrounding caverns are known for their calcite formations which were formed when there was a high ground water table in the Guadalupe Range. Carlsbad Caverns National Monument was created in...